


Now and Forever, My Love

by adharraa



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Afterlife, Allura Gets Sick In One, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anger, Babies, Bedside Vigils, Complicated Relationships, Dancing, Domestic Fluff, Dreams, Drinking, F/M, Ficlet Collection, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Forgiveness, Guilt, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Marriage, Mild Sexual Content, Misunderstandings, Night Terrors, Nightmares, Non-Explicit Sex, Post-Season/Series 06, Pregnancy, Relationship Issues, Rift Rescue, Teen Romance, Trauma, True Love's Kiss, attempted self-sacrifice, clothed handjob
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-08 10:34:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 15,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21474583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adharraa/pseuds/adharraa
Summary: A series of Lotura Ficlets from Tumblr!They were meant to be together. Through the ups, the downs, the misunderstandings, the hurts, the healing, and the joy.
Relationships: Allura/Lotor (Voltron)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: “I want you to be happy.”

Allura’s eyes opened to a blinding white light.

“Hello?” she called out, turning her head to look around. It took all of a moment longer before the familiar feeling that washed over her told her exactly where she was.

‘_It can’t be…_’ she thought, staring at the palm of her hand.

“Allura,” a voice that had so often made her knees buckle snapped her out of her thoughts.

Her eyes snapped up to a very familiar figure standing ten feet in front of her. Her brows came together and her lips fell into a frown.

“Lotor,” she said with gritted teeth.

“Allura,” he repeated and the look on his face had her stepping back. It wasn’t the look of the madman who had tried to kill her just the other day. His face was hard as stone but his eyes spoke a different story. They were soft and full of sorrow. She slapped away all curiosity.

“Do not be afraid, please,” he requested quietly. “I just want to talk.”

“Why should I listen to anything that you have to say?” she responded, almost startled by how much more hurt than anger was in her voice.

His eyes closed, “Because you never gave me the chance to explain myself.”

She shook her head, taking another step backwards, “I do not want to hear your side. You used me. You never felt anything for me.”

_You hurt me. You took my heart and never gave it back…_

“I did!” he answered, desperation in every word. “I went there to broker an alliance, it’s true, but I had never intended on all that happened between us. I never meant to fall in love with you, but I did. And I welcomed it as much as it frightened me. I came back for you, not to get into the rift.”

She didn’t want to hear this, not now. Not after everything. The tears fell freely now. His eyes softened even more and he took one step forward but Allura shook her head.

“Then what do you want from me now, Lotor?” her voice was loud, she was almost screaming.

Despite everything he had just told her, she did not expect the answer she was given.

“I want you to be happy. I wanted to be the reason for your smile but it seems that now I’m the reason for your tears. I will spend eternity loathing myself for each and every one…”

She squeezed her eyes shut and more tears fell. It was like her heart was breaking all over again and this time it was somehow worse.

“LEAVE!” she screamed, her eyes still closed. “JUST LEAVE ME BE!” 

Her hands clutched her head as she continued to scream…

Her eyes snapped open as she sprang up in a cold sweat. Her chest heaved as she struggled to breathe. She was alone again, in the small room on a planet that the team had decided to stay on for the night. Lotor was nowhere to be seen.

She grabbed the glass and pitcher of water next to her. As she gulped the water down, a lone tear escaped. It had all been a dream. It hadn’t been Lotor saying those words, but her own hopes. She had so desperately wanted his words of his feelings to be true and her heart was still keeping that wish alive. The dull ache returned to her chest and she took several deep breaths to ease it. She couldn’t keep doing this to herself.

It was just a dream, after all…


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "you owe me a kiss"

Lotor hadn’t said much. She’d apologized and continuously done so, but Lotor just insisted that she was forgiven. He wouldn’t look at her, though. As much as it pained her, she couldn’t blame him. She hadn’t heard him out. She’d left him to die in the rift. She didn’t deserve to so much as ask for his forgiveness let alone actually receive it.

She had hurt him. And he forgave her anyway. But there was still much sadness within him.

She needed to speak to him. To fall to her knees, take his hand, and promise to never do the things that she had. Anything.

When she walked into the quarters that the Garrison had graciously provided him, his back was turned to her.

“Yes, Princess?” his voice was even, but she could hear something else.

“Allura,” she answered. “Not ‘princess.’”

At this, he turned his head to face her for the first time in years, “I’m sorry?”

She smiled sadly, “Altea doesn’t exist anymore. I’m afraid I’m not princess of anything anymore.”

He turned completely at that point, “That’s true. You’re not a princess. You’re Allura, Queen of Altea…”

She felt her cheeks heat up and she met his eyes, “Lotor…I came to apologize.”

A few seconds of silence elapsed before he said, “I have said countless times that you are forgiven. I know you do not feel as though I mean it, but I do. With you, I mean every word. I have not faced you because I’m the one who is unworthy of asking for your forgiveness after all that I put you through.”

“Lotor, please. I do not deserve it. You, however, deserve my apologies. You deserve more than I could give,” she said, not being able to help the tears that were gathering.

“You’ve had my forgiveness long before you asked for it,” he stepped closer and suddenly the space between them was virtually non-existent. He grabbed her hands.

Her breath hitched, “I-I also came to ask if I could do anything for you…”

Lotor didn’t say anything for a moment, but he kept looking at her. She shied away from his gaze.

“There is one thing. If you’ll allow for it, anyway.”

She closed her eyes, “Anything…”

“You owe me a kiss,” he whispered and Allura’s eyes snapped open.

“Lotor…” she started, but couldn’t seem to think of the words to say.

“If you do not wish to…”

“No!” she said suddenly, “I want to. I was surprised is all…”

She shifted a little then and she slowly moved her hands up to gently cup his face. His eyes fluttered closed.

“May I?” she asked and he responded with a small nod of the head.

She moved in and softly, her lips met his…


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “did i ever tell you how beautiful your eyes are?”

Allura was sure that Lotor knew, but she loved the time that she spent with him. Even if it was for work, any stolen glances and small brushes of their hands were things that she cherished. She could feel his eyes on her too as she worked.

Occasionally they would take a break to talk.

“You’ve earned a break, princess,” he said, touching her shoulder.

She turned to look at him, “There’s much left to do, though.”

Lotor only smiled sweetly, “There is no rush. I don’t want you weakening yourself.”

She couldn’t argue with that so she nodded, “Of course. I just wanted to get this done as soon as possible.”

Even though she wasn’t so weak, Lotor still held her as if she was about to collapse.

“What shall we do now?” she asked, looking up at him and meeting his eyes.

He hummed a non-answer but continued to look down at her. She suddenly felt self conscious and tried to turn away but Lotor gently grabbed her chin.

“I…” she tried to say but found the words stuck in her throat. She found herself feeling foolish for being so flustered. At the same time, she almost didn’t mind. Especially when it came to Lotor.

“Allura,” he breathed. She didn’t know it there was quite a word for the feelings she had when he said her name.

“Yes?” she whispered.

“Did I ever tell you how beautiful your eyes are?” he asked.

She felt her cheeks heat up, “I do not recall…”

Lotor gave the smallest of smiles then, “Well, they are the most beautiful things in the universe.”

He said it as if it were fact and all she could do was blush.

“Thank you…” she said.

He responded by bringing her hand to his lips, “No need to thank me. Someone like you should be praised as much as possible.”

She was probably completely flushed at that point…


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “you’re not very intimidating.”

Despite the less than warm reception, Lotor would be lying if he said that he hadn’t been happy to see her again. Her eyes were cold and her face was stoic, but it was still Allura.

“So you’re alive,” she said. She didn’t sound disappointed, but she didn’t sound overjoyed either.

“I take it that you hoped for different,” Lotor responded.

“I didn’t hope for anything.”

Ah and there it was. She was a terrible liar. But it wasn’t his death that she’d hoped for. He had to keep his composure. She was still angry with him.

“So, I take it that you’re holding me in here for a reason,” he leaned back.

Allura didn’t say anything for a good few minutes, “Yes. You’re here to answer for your crimes among other things.”

Lotor sighed. She wasn’t willing to listen, still. She still saw him as a monster. But a monster she still seemed to have a tender spot in her heart for.

“Also we found an Altean piloting the thing that tried to destroy Earth.”

Lotor gave nothing away. It still wasn’t the right time for her to hear. She was still not ready to hear it regardless of how much he wanted to tell her.

“I suppose you want the answers. But you’re still not ready to hear them,” he answered, as evenly as possible.

“I beg your pardon?” she sounded taken aback. “You think you have any rights here? You will answer me.”

“You’re not very intimidating, princess. Trust me, all will reveal itself in due course.”

Allura laughed humorously, “Trust you? On what grounds? You lied and used me-”

“I never lied and as I recall, I was perfectly open about my intentions. It was your choice. It was always your choice. I never forced your hand.”

“You got close to me with the intention of-”

“As I said, my feelings for you are true. They still are. I never planned on them but I welcomed them all the same,” he responded, a bit of emotion betraying him.

“Stop saying that,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Saying what? The truth? Does it make you uncomfortable? The truth isn’t always pleasant, I’m afraid. And clearly, you’re not ready to hear it.”

“You-”

Lotor sighed, “I doubt anything you could say now would hurt, Allura.”

Allura opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself. She was clearly angry now but she was attempting to compose herself.

“I will be back tomorrow. And when I do, you will answer my questions…”

“As you wish, Princess…”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “change in mind or change in heart?”

She’d tried to get close to him. And he would’ve let her, because it felt right. It had always felt right. But he couldn’t allow her to do that to him again.

Whenever she reached up to kiss him, he turned his head, feigning some sort of excuse. Allura wasn’t stupid, she figured it out soon enough.

“I thought I was forgiven,” she whispered. There was nothing accusatory in her tone. There was sadness and there was exhaustion.

He had thought the same. Curious thing, love was. He didn’t seem to know himself as well these days, not since she came into his life.

“I have,” he insisted. She didn’t believe him.

“Then why do you shy away when I try to get close. Have I become so repulsive to you?”

Lotor shook his head but he still refused to meet her eyes. She hadn’t. But they had jumped back into this too soon.

“Maybe we made a mistake by jumping into this…” he finally said.

That made Allura pause, “Jumping into this? It was you who wanted to…”

Lotor still couldn’t look at her, “I’ve changed my mind.”

He winced as shock appeared on her beautiful features and felt a sharp ache in his chest as heartbreak replaced the shock. He didn’t want to do this. But he just couldn’t right now. It wasn’t fair.

“Change in mind? Or change in heart?” she whispered, her voice breaking at the end.

Lotor turned to look at her then, his eyes finally meeting hers. He wanted to grab her hand, her face, anything. But he wouldn’t. 

“Mind. My heart has not changed. It never has and it never will. But I cannot do this. Not right now.”

He turned away promptly and walked out of the room, not having the strength to see the devastation that he had caused.

He could not and would not allow her to weaken him ever again…


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “how did you get in here?”

She had to try. Against what everyone’s words and everyone’s concerns, she was going to re-open the rift.

Allura knew sneaking off and possibly coming back with Lotor wouldn’t be without consequence, but she was having a hard time living with herself.

She thought she could move on, forget about him. She had even started a sweet but very brief dalliance with Lance. But they were both quick to realize that it wasn’t right for either of them.

And her heart had refused to forget Lotor.

He could hate her, curse her name, and even try to kill her at that point but it didn’t matter. She loved him and she would save him.

The rift looked as stormy as it had been when she’d been in there last.

She looked in all directions, there was nothing.

No…he has to be in here. He has to be…

The tears threatened to fall and she squeezed her eyes closed, trying to focus.

‘Where are you Lotor? Please…’

There was nothing for a few minutes. She couldn’t stay too long, she knew that. But she refused to give up on him again. So if overexposure was the price to pay, so be it.

‘There!’

She had never gone so fast, had never felt so desperate. Perhaps it was the rift amplifying everything. Perhaps it was her own heart.

Getting to the ship was no problem. Breaking into the cockpit wasn’t either.

What was devastating was to see how disheveled he looked. His hair flying everywhere, his armor was worn, and he was unconscious. His cheeks were hollow and his face was gaunt.

She could’ve screamed then. She could’ve given in to the tears.

But he wasn’t dead. He was close, but he could still make it…

She placed a hand on his forehead before closing her eyes and focusing. She could feel the energy course through her. Then it encompassed him as well.

‘Please…please…’

She waited…and waited. Until she heard a deep breath. Lotor opened his eyes and looked around until he saw her looking down at him, her tears falling freely.

“A…ll…u…ra,” he rasped, her name coming out in broken fragments. She didn’t see the eyes of a madman who had tried to kill her. He was giving her that same look. The same look that had made her heart sing so many times.

“I’m here. I’m going to get you out of here,” she assured gently.

“How did you get in here? I saw the castle and…” he was too weak to finish his words and she shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter now. I’ll get you out of here…”

He wanted to say something but she shushed him gently.

“Not now, my Prince. Rest. I’ll carry you…”

Whether it was by her request or simply his own weakness, his eyes flickered close. It was the most peaceful Allura had ever seen him…


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: “did i ever tell you how beautiful your eyes are?” / “i love you.”

The wedding reception was rather odd. The music was too loud, people were drinking some foul tasting concoction and acting strangely or “getting drunk” as Lance had put it, and it allowed for Allura to slip away into the small but lovely pond just outside.

The night was balmy and she leaned against a tree. It was a strange one with drooping branches that cascaded into the water. But it was most lovely.

She stared down at the water and was almost startled when she saw that Lotor had appeared next to her.

“Taking a stroll?” he teased and she smiled.

“It was getting a little ridiculous in there,” she turned to smile.

“Agreed. Although, what were we expecting allowing the paladins to plan an Earth wedding?”

She sighed, “Well I suppose. But they did promise to do something grand…”

“And so they did,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. “My wife deserves nothing less.”

Allura’s cheeks flushed at being referred to as his wife. That would be something to get used to but it made her feel warm all over.

She looked up at him then. Her eyes fluttered close as he leaned in and gently pressed his lips against her forehead.

When he leaned back she opened her eyes once more.

“Did I ever tell you how beautiful your eyes are?” he asked.

She cracked a small smile, “You tell me at least three times a quintant.”

“Only? Three times won’t do…” Lotor joked. “But really, I’ll keep on telling you that until the end of my days.”

It was a figure of speech but Allura didn’t like hearing it. She reached up and gently cupped his face in both of her hands.

“I love you,” she whispered, quiet enough so that only he could hear.

The look in his eyes then was so tender that Allura had to will herself not to tear her gaze away shyly. He pulled her in until there was absolutely no space between them.

“And I love you. Forever…”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: “how much did you drink?” / “don’t lie to me.” / “i swear, if you say another word, i’ll leave.”

Lotor absolutely loathed the taste but loved the feeling it gave him. Perhaps it was long overdue. He’d been strong for so long and he had seen where it had gotten him. It was quite funny. The very thing he needed to dull his senses could have been found in small bottles on a small planet at the edge of the universe.

He heard the door open and he made no attempt to even hide what he was doing. He knew she would see. Then she would blow up at him, storm off, spend the night somewhere else, and then come back. It was an unending cycle and he was virtually numb to it by now.

He heard the approaching footsteps grow louder and louder.

He didn’t miss the weary anger in Allura’s voice.

“How much did you drink?”

“Just this glass,” he lied, not caring how even a half-wit wouldn’t believe that. He brought the glass to his lips one more.

“Don’t lie to me. This bottle was full when I left and now it’s practically empty,” she growled.

Lotor shrugged, “Well then, did you really need to ask how much I’ve had?”

He could see her throw her hands up from the corner of her eye.

“You don’t talk to me. You just sit here, drowning your hurts! The paladins have tried and you won’t even spare them a glance!”

Lotor didn’t respond to that. Life was full of these miserable ironies. When he had tried to talk, no one would listen. Now everyone wanted to listen and he refused to. It hardly mattered anyway.

“Are you even listening to me?” she went on.

He set down the glass, “We both know how this is going to go. You’re going to continue shouting at me until you’re fed up and storm out of here. And both of us are just wishing that you hadn’t come back for me.”

There. What had been hanging in the air between them was finally out.

A few moments of silence elapsed between them.

“Is that what you think?” she asked in a warning sort of tone.

“It’s what I know. And for some reason you keep trying to make us work. We both know you deserve better. Anyone else really. The one piloting the Red Lion seems-”

“ENOUGH!” she screamed. He didn’t have to look at her to know that he had crossed a line with her.

“Why? We both know it, Allura. It was over for me but you came back for me. And now I’m here, being forced to live on because of some fantasy of a fairy tale ending that you envisioned for us. You should have just moved on with your life,” he went on.

“I swear, if you say another word, I’ll leave,” she warned, her rage now boiled over into a silent fury.

He shrugged, ready for the final blow, “So leave. It would be better that way.”

And yet, he was not quite prepared for the dull pain in his chest when he heard the door slam… 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: “Will you just hold me?”

Lotor liked to pretend like the nightmares didn’t plague him. Allura would wake up each morning to see his tired smile and he would pretend as if she couldn’t see the anguish in his eyes.

Sometimes it was about his childhood. He would cry and beg his father not to hit him again. He would beg Haggar not to poke and prod anymore. The more Allura heard, the more she learned about the man she slept next to every night.

Other times, much adding to her own guilt, it was about his time in the rift. She only knew because it was the only word he uttered. And each time she would wrap her arms around him and hold him. He would become quiet after that.

This particular night, however? There was something else tormenting his dreams. He wasn’t only screaming but he was violently flailing. Allura sprang up, dodging his limbs. She looked on in horror when she saw marks all over the skin visible to the eye.

“Lotor? LOTOR!” she gently grabbed his arm.

Big mistake because a hand flew on her face and the nails dug into her cheek.

“Lotor, please…” she whispered. She reached for the light switch and much to her surprise, the squirming stopped and his eyes were wide open.

To say that he looked absolutely terrified would have been a tragic understatement. For a good few seconds, it didn’t seem like he knew where he was or who he was with.

“Lotor, Lotor what-?” she began to ask but cut herself off when he sprang up. And then hid his face behind his hands. She crawled up next to him.

“Please…talk to me,” she pleaded gently.

But he shook his head, his face still hidden behind his hands.

“Allura, don’t…” he begged softly. “Not now.”

She didn’t like that he was shutting her out but forcing him to talk would only alienate him further.

“What can I do? Tell me and I’ll do it,” she said, trying a different approach.

He didn’t say anything for a few moments and every second that passed made her more and more apprehensive.

“Will you just hold me?”

The request was so simple and yet it made her heart hurt. Her arms were the only place he could seek refuge.

She didn’t even think twice before wrapping her arms around him and held him against her chest.

For now, it was enough. It had to be…


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: sick/injured fic / ‘I’ve not been feeling myself lately.’ / ‘oh my god, please don’t cry!’

Even a half-wit could tell that something was wrong with Allura the second she walked into the hangar that day. She insisted that she was fine.

“Please Princess, you don’t look well.”

She turned to give a weak smile. Now that he could see her closely, she had gone a little pale as well.

“I’ve not been feeling myself lately, but I’m fine,” she insisted.

Much to his horror, a few moments later, he watched her collapse. He was quick, catching her before she hit the floor. She was conscious…barely. He pressed a hand against her cheek. She was burning up. Lotor cursed himself for being so careless.

He got his comm and as calmly as he could be, “Allura’s unwell and she’s collapsed in the hangar, someone…anyone! Please…”

He held onto her, gently cradling her. He didn’t quite care in that moment if whatever she had was contagious.

To his relief, help came almost immediately in the form of Hunk, Pidge, and Lance. Lance glared at him the whole time. He didn’t say a word but the accusations were quite evident in his eyes. He didn’t deny them. He should’ve been more careful. He shouldn’t have let her exhaust herself or indulged her wishes to help that day.

“She won’t need to go into the healing pod,” Coran said, coming out of her room. “But she does have quite a high fever. She’ll be bedridden for a couple of quintants.”

There was relief but there was overwhelming guilt as well. Sure she wasn’t on her deathbed but if he’d been even more careless, she just might’ve been.

“Would it be alright if I…went in there and saw her?” he asked.

“Of course,” Coran stepped out of the way.

He was about to enter when Coran stopped him. He expected some sort of threat but instead he was met with a weary smile.

“Don’t blame yourself.”

He nodded, but that didn’t stop him from doing so.

She was awake, barely. But she could see him and she was fully aware of what was happening around her.

He sat at the very edge of her bed. Even in her feverish state, she was a sight to behold. It was the first time that he’d seen her hair out of its bun. She smiled up at him and for some reason, that only made him feel worse.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

For the first time in millenia, Lotor was confused.

“What for?”

“I’m afraid I won’t be of much help to you in my condition,” she responded.

Lotor flinched. Even in her condition, she blamed herself for not being able to help. She wasn’t thinking of herself at all. She thought of him. A lone tear slid down his cheek.

She looked alarmed, “Oh my god, please don’t cry!”

She weakly reached up to wipe it but he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. He wasn’t quite sure if the blush that formed was from the fever or the kiss.

He used his other hand to brush away the tear and he smiled gently, “Your health is more important than a ship. You are more important. Rest.”

She didn’t protest and instead closed her eyes, drifting off into sleep within moments. Lotor brushed the stray hair from her forehead. He probably should’ve left now, but he remained.

He wanted to stay with her for just a little while more…


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: “You cannot do this!”; motherhood

“Girls! Come down at once! Your father has returned,” Allura called out. They could hear the tiny voices squeal with delight and their tiny footsteps running towards the throne room.

“I take it you haven’t had too much trouble,” Lotor chuckled, a hand resting on her slightly swollen belly.

“He moves a little, but he gives me no trouble. Unlike our three little terrors that are already here,” she chuckled.

“He? A boy?” Lotor caught that and raised his brows.

“I just have a feeling,” she winked and he smiled. 

Just then, the squealing and the footsteps grew louder. Lotor’s smile grew as three little princesses ran towards him and practically tackled him to the ground. He laughed and he took each of the girls in his arms and kissed them.

“Papa!” they yelled in unison.

“Hello, my darlings. How I’ve missed you,” he cared very little about how undignified it looked to be lying flat on his back with his daughters resting on his chest.

“Fala, Melia, Antheia,” Allura scolded, “Get off of your father. How many times have we gone through this? Come on!”

They obeyed and Lotor was able to sit up and examine each of his girls.

“All of you grow more and more lovely each day, like your mother,” he complimented. The girls giggled and their mother blushed.

“And I bring you gifts,” he motioned towards a rather large pile of toys and other things. The girls screamed and practically jumped into the pile.

Allura sighed.

“Again? You cannot do this! Everytime you leave for a few quintants or movements, you bring back a mountain of gifts for the girl, you spoil them rotten Lotor.”

Lotor smiled, “They’re my princesses. They deserve everything I can give them and more.”

Allura just rolled her eyes, “What they deserve is discipline and training on diplomacy.”

Lotor shook his head, “Come now, Allura, they’re only 6, 4, and 3 deca-phoebes old. There is time for it. Allow them to be little girls a little while longer.”

Allura huffed, “They do require discipline. Just yesterday Fala and Melia decided to race with the droids down the halls.”

That made Lotor laugh heartily, “I wonder who they got that from.”

“Yes, well, next time the paladins are here, I will give them a firm talking to,” she grumbled. “The girls are, as the Earthlings say it, grounded. You may be emperor, but I am still their mother. You have no authority to overturn that.”

Lotor just wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek, “Of course, my dear…”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: loss, change

Against everyone’s wishes, against everyone’s warnings, she found herself in the rift. She had wanted to hate Lotor, she wanted to hate him so much. But she had always felt so hopelessly empty without him. At first she thought that it was because of her broken heart. And she had used Lance to try and repair it again. But months went by and the relationship went on, but the yearning had not. Lance had caught on and ended the relationship. She had seen that hurt in his eyes and would always feel guilt about it. His forgiveness made it all the worse.

She felt selfish, so selfish for doing this. But she had to fix this any way that she could. Lotor would answer for whatever crimes he had committed, but the moment she had realized he was alive, she knew what needed to be done.

Was it her selfish desire to be close to the only man she had ever loved despite all he had done? Perhaps. But she had condemned him to the worst possible fate. And she had suffered, not merely out of guilt. She left a bit of her heart and soul in the rift that day.

If Lotor forgave her, though he had no reason to, she could live with that.

When she found him, the tears spilled uncontrollably. He looked so thin. So broken. Even barely conscious, there was no peace.

“What have I done to you?” she whispered brokeningly.

He stirred his eyes meeting hers. His features shifted to that of sorrow. Of devastation.

“Why must they show me visions of you?” he mumbled. “Have I not suffered enough? To show me all that I’ve loved and lost?”

Loved. He loved her. If it were possible for a heart to break any more, hers was doing just that.

“I am not a vision. I’m here, I’m really here,” she cupped his cheek, reassuring him that she was really here. It was no relief to him. His face only showed sorrow.

“What are you doing here? How are you here?” he whispered, brokeningly. “This is what you wanted, was it not? So why are you here now?”

She shook her head.

“I never wanted this. I wanted to pull you out. But there wasn’t enough time. I thought you were dead. I lost you and it was unbearable. It hurt so much. I came back because I realized you were alive. And I won’t leave you again.”

“You need to leave Allura,” he warned hoarsely. “It’ll destroy us both…”

But she shook her head stubbornly, “So be it. I’m not leaving here without you. I’m never leaving you again…”

“Don’t…be…absurd,” he said, using all his strength. “The universe needs you. We can’t both die here…”

“And I need you. I know that sounds selfish, but I need you by my side. I’m saving you. Don’t give up just yet…”

“Allura…” he tried to protest but she pressed a finger to his lips.

“Save your strength and rest. You’ve suffered enough…”

As she dragged him out of the rift, she found that there was a fullness that she hadn’t felt in months… He was alive. That was enough for now…


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: hope

Even with the primitive Earth technology, the doctors were able to stabilize his condition. Well, with a little help from Altean magic. Still, it had been a week, and there were still no signs of him waking up. The doctors said that there was a chance that he may never.

She held on tight, though.

Every day she would sit in the chair next to his bed for hours, taking his hand in hers, and kissing it. But the days went on and no sign. Through tears, she pleaded.

“If you can hear me, if you can…show me…”

Perhaps she was dreaming but she felt his thumb gently rub hers.

She cried for a doctor, only for them to tell her that it was not an uncommon thing with comatose patients and she found her heart deflate again. But she didn’t give up hope.

Months went by and it was slowly approaching a year and then another. But time mattered very little to her. As far as she was concerned, she would wait for him forever.

She heeded no one when they told her that she needed to move on. She refused. She knew that he would wake up.

She could hear the whispers around the Garrison Hospital. None of them malicious, the nurses even saying that it was so romantic. A princess waiting for her prince to awake. It was as if witnessing a real life fairy tale. She’d smile bitterly. If this were a fairy tale, he would be awake and they would have already lived happily ever after.

One day, she decided to talk.

“It’s been a few years since we’ve pulled you out of the rift. Will you not wake up now? I’ll wait forever but do you truly want that? You said that we were meant to be together. Please, wake up, so that we can fulfill those words…”

She leaned in and gently pressed her lips against his. It was the first time she’d kissed him since…that day. But she needed to.

Sleeping proved difficult, she was restless the full night. Tossing and turning, occasionally waking up to pace herself tired. Either way…

When she arrived at the hospital the next day, the doctors were unusually cheerful.

“Did something happen?” she asked

“Go in and see for yourself?” the doctor answered.

Her heart pounded as she walked into the hospital room only to pause. Her eyes went wide as she saw that Lotor was no longer lying unresponsive but sitting up, a gentle smile appearing when he saw her.

“Allura…” was all he had to say before she practically flung herself into his arms. He didn’t flinch or anything of her weight on top of him.

“It’s nice to see you too,” he chuckled.

“I knew…I always knew you would return to me. I feel at peace,” she whispered into his chest, tears falling unchecked.

After a momentary paused, he asked, “Did you mean it? When you said that we could fulfill those words? That we could be together.”

She let him go and looked at him directly in the eye. She was deliriously happy and the tears only proved that much.

“Yes.”

She leaned in and pressed her lips against his and both her hands cupped his cheeks. This time, he returned the kiss.

It was perfect…


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: lust, temptation, fulfillment, completion

“Princess,” he struggled to say. In front of him, stood the most breathtaking scene he had ever had the privilege of witnessing. There she was, clad in baby pink lingerie that covered practically nothing. Her white curls cascaded down her back.

Despite all this, she wore the sweetest of smiles, slowly making her way towards him.

“I’ve been waiting you know,” she said, her voice low.

He wanted to say something. Anything really, but his throat was too dry. He opened his mouth and no words came out.

She was practically sitting his lap then. And he struggled to form any coherent thought. She continued to smile sweetly, but Lotor could see that mischievous twinkle in her eye. She knew exactly what she was doing.

“We haven’t really talked about this,” he whispered.

He was answered with her pawing at his chest. She moved in closer, their lips only centimeters apart.

“Did we really need to?” she asked, it sounded more like a purr. “Besides…” she went on, her other hand traveling down to his bulge that was only a bit apparent through his armor, “…you want it too…”

She pressed down ever so gently and Lotor’s mind finally went blank. He grabbed her hand and before she could even blink, she was on her back, hair spread on the pillows, with Lotor looming above her. Even in the dimly lit room she could see the barely contained hunger and lust.

“You don’t play fair, princess. That is quite all right. Neither do I…”

“Good. I don’t want you to,” she said, pulling his lips down to meet hers…

Time seemed to be inconsequential. Neither knew how much of it had passed as they bathed in the afterglow, but it wasn’t like they cared either. Allura lay on his chest, tracing circles along the smooth skin and he ran his fingers through her now messy waves.

“Do you remember back when we had our first kiss?” he asked, breaking the silence.

Allura smiled, “How could I ever forget?”

“I never thought that I could…” he cut himself off because he felt a lump forming in his throat. He swallowed it before continuing, “I never thought I could know such happiness. Such fulfillment.”

_So complete…_

Allura moved up and soft kissed him before pulling away and looking right into his eyes.

“I’ll never let you feel otherwise.”

He couldn’t help but smile before pulling her back in for another kiss…


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: lust, temptation

Lotor groaned as he felt her dainty fingers brush over his bulge which was now straining in his armor. She grabbed him softly, carefully and slowly began stroking him. It by no means meant that he wasn’t enjoying it, but her lack of experience was more than evident.

It was a wonder how she had managed to tempt him so much without trying so hard. He had wanted to resist her so badly. But her beauty, her sweet smile, and their close proximity had set him up for failure the second he had stepped onto this ship.

“You want it too…” she breathed softly. The amazement and wonder in her voice only seemed to make him harden even more.

“I want you,” he clarified, his voice straining to make words as her pace quickened. But she was still hesitant.

“If I may…” he offered and when she nodded her head, he placed his hand on top of hers, guiding her.

He was struggled to keep quiet as her hand glided over him and the pace quickened. She stroked and applied pressure in all the right spots and he was close. So very close.

It had been too long.

Within half a minute, a strangled moan escaped him as he felt himself explode inside of his armor. His mind was too hazy with lust and pleasure to think on it.

“I’m so sorry!” she squeaked the second she realized what had happened and withdrew her hand. She looked so embarrassed, a beautiful blush painting over her cheeks.

“No! No don’t be. You did well. So well,” he assured her. She didn’t look so sure.

“You must be so uncomfortable right now…” she mumbled. “I’m sorry if I’d just…”

“Princess. You were perfect. Believe me,” he smiled, his eyelids were half-closed from the pleasure.

She blushed once more, “Would you like me to help you clean up?”

How she would do that, even she didn’t look too sure. He couldn’t help but chuckle. He pulled her to him.

“A little later. Right now I just need you to stay close to me…”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompts: drama, catastrophe

Her back was to the wall of the cell and she had been separated from the other paladins. She couldn’t even hear them calling out, they were probably kept somewhere far. She cursed her luck.

She could only sit there and ponder her own misfortunes. But she chose to focus on the shock of Lotor being alive. He had arrived to take care of the enemy and then proceeded to throw them all into prison. He wasn’t the same man. He wasn’t trying to kill them as he had them during their fight, but his anger was palpable. She scoffed. As if he had any right to be after all the lies he had told her.

She heard the cell’s door open and she just assumed it was a guard preparing to move her or beat her or something like that.

“Leave us. I would like to speak to the princess alone,” her head snapped up at the sound of his voice. And then she flinched.

He was bigger in build and there was a scar that went from his left brow, across his face, to his the right side of his chin. His eyes? Even more dead than they had ever been.

The door closed and there was an uncomfortable silence that followed.

“I thought you were dead,” she kept her tone flat, looking away and daring not to meet his gaze.

“No doubt that that was what you had wanted,” his voice was leveled but she could feel the white, hot rage he was trying to control.

“As if you would know what I would want,” her control was breaking and all the hurt feelings were beginning to come back.

“Nor do I care any longer,” he responded. He had said it so flatly that it hurt. It actually hurt.

“Then why am I here?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. “If not to try and convince me of another one of your lies?”

“Don’t be like that!” he growled. “You have no right. None at all.”

And now she turned to look at him, her angering mirroring his own.

“Oh don’t I? You murdered thousands of Alteans and didn’t even bother to tell me that there was a colony full of them!”

He scoffed, “I have many regrets and leading innocent Alteans to their deaths unknowingly is one of them. But knowing you, Allura? I don’t regret keeping mum. You never think with your head nor do you seem to understand the catastrophic effects that our fight has had on everyone else. And you must pay for it. As I have.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Surely you know how much devastation you and your paladins have inadvertently caused. To the Galra on your side, to your allies, to…” he cut himself off.

_‘To me…’_ was heavily implied and Allura couldn’t ignore it.

“I doubt it devastated you much beyond losing your grip on Voltron.”

It all happened so swiftly and she felt a hand grab her face roughly. He forced her to look right into his eyes.

“You know nothing, Princess. I have never cared for anything the way I cared for you. You were the grace of my heart and life. But one word from a stranger and it mattered not to you.”

She looked into his eyes, dead as they were, but she saw it. She saw the truth.

It was devastating.

“You…” she started but stopped herself. No, she couldn’t. Even if he had care for in the way that she had cared for him, it didn’t change anything. It just made everything worse.

“It no longer matters if my feelings for you are true or not…” she didn’t miss the present tense of that, “…it doesn’t change what has happened between us. And you will pay, Princess. You already are…”

She was about to shout, whatever, but the words remained stuck in her throat.

When the door closed once more, she was alone.

This time, she didn’t stop her tears from falling…


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “You again.”

They had told her they’d found something. That was all they had said. When she had asked Sam, he only answered that she needed to see it for herself.

He went with her. The elevator ride down to the lower levels was quiet and the tension was palpable. Allura’s stomach was twisting, whatever they’d found, she was almost certain that the shock of finding an Altean would be nothing on this.

It was a door and Sam stopped.

“I think you should go in there by yourself. I’ll be right out here,” he said. She stared right at the door, inhaled and exhaled, and walked in as soon as the door opened for her.

If it was possible for her heart to actually stop and her soul to leave her body, that was what she experienced at the sight.

There, on his knees with his hands restrained behind his back, kneeled Lotor. His hair was wild and when he heard the door, his head snapped up and he was looking right at her. More like right through her, she tried not to flinch. Those were not the eyes she had loved. They had lost whatever light they had.

“You again…” he growled.

She was feeling a million different things right now but anger was the only one she showed.

“I should be saying that,” she was trying and failing to keep her voice steady.

He laughed bitterly, “Is this how they intend to get the answer out of me? Sending you to me? It will not happen. If they think I would ever trust you enough to open my mouth ever again, they are all just fools.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do not act so ignorant. You’re bad at it, frankly,” he shook his head looking away.

She was furious now, “You think you have any right to tell me or anyone here what to do? After all that you’ve done?”

“And what have I done? I never admitted to anything more than Alteans being sacrificed. But you trusted the words of a stranger over me. I think where you stand on wanting to know the truth has been made very clear, Princess.”

She clenched her fists, “So tell me your side, I’m just dying to know.”

She didn’t even try to hide the sarcasm. So obviously he didn’t miss it.

Another bitter laugh, “You’re not interested in the truth. You’ve never been. You just needed an opportunity to-”

“Is that what you think? Do you even know me at all?” she asked incredulously.

“I’m calling it as I see it. You know, extending the same courtesy you’ve shown me.”

That stung. There was no use talking anymore. They were both so angry. Both so hurt.

She turned on her heel but before she left, “I do wish to hear your side. I wanted so bad for it to be false but when you confirmed her words…”

She heard him scoff, “You threw me across the room, without letting me finish. It was foolish of me to assume that you had come to feel for me enough to hear me out.”

She let out a shaky breath, “I will be back tomorrow.”

A snort, “Don’t bother…”


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: sacrifice

“What do you think you’re doing?” Lotor yelled through the comm.

“I’m sorry…I have to do this!” she apologized before charging forward towards the giant robeast. There was only one way to stop it.

She had so many regrets, but in that moment, only one came to her mind. That she and Lotor hadn’t had more time. So much had been wasted on assumptions and mistrust. Now time was up. She could only hope that he would forgive her for it one day.

“Allura…Allura…STOP! NO!” he screamed.

It all happened so fast. She felt herself get shoved and there was a bright flash. She barely registered her own scream.

“No…no no no no…” she pleaded as her tears fell.

“Allura, we have to…” she heard Keith say.

“We’re not leaving him,” she said, struggling to keep her voice steady.

“Allura if we don’t leave…” Lance tried to reason.

“I’m not leaving here without him! Not ever again!” she vowed.

They had no choice and so they whisked him off.

She practically jumped out of her lion and made a beeline for the Sincline. She ignored all other voices behind her.

“Lotor!” she called out. There was no response. The tears burned her eyes as she made her way to the cockpit.

There he was, unconscious, barely breathing, and yet so beautiful. Heartbreakingly so. There was time. If she could bring Lance back from the dead, she could bring Lotor back as well.

Placing a hand on his forehead, she focused. It didn’t stop the lone tear from slipping.

“Please,” she begged in a hardly audible whisper.

HIs eyes barely opened a short time after. He smiled but he was too weak. She smiled and she didn’t stop her tears from flowing freely.

“Why did you?” she asked. “Why would you do something so stupid?”

“Better you than me. I’ll always choose you before myself…”

He said no more and a sob escaped her.

She knew he had drifted off again so he couldn’t hear her.

“And I choose you. Before myself. Always…”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “This isn’t goodbye.”

“We can’t keep meeting like this. I don’t want to keep meeting like this,” Allura whispered through her tears.

“We have no other option,” Lotor responded, stroking her cheek.

“Are you really even here? I’m still not sure how any of this is happening,” she said, as she always did when they met like this.

“I’m here,” he’d say as he always did.

But tonight she didn’t seem convinced, “Then why do you only appear in my dreams? When I sleep? Why not when I’m awake?”

“I don’t have the answer to that, I’m afraid,” he stepped closer until it was physically impossible for them to be any closer.

“You always have the answers,” she commented, bitterly.

A moment of silence elapsed between the two of them before he took a few step backs. She let out a whimper at the loss of contact.

“But you are right, we can’t keep meeting like this. If we do, you can never move on. And you need to,” he said, remorsefully. His face was stone but there was a momentary flash of sorrow in his voice.

She shook her head, “I don’t want to move on. Don’t you see it? It’s always going to be you!”

Lotor put up a hand, “I do see it. I see it very clearly. But…I can’t bear to see you so hurt anymore because of me. Move on. For me if not yourself.”

“I will not,” she answered fiercely. “You cannot make me.”

“I’m not making you do anything. I’m simply telling you-”

She cut him off with her lips pressing against his. He lingered there, never kissing back before stepping away again.

“Allura, stop. I must go…”

Allura grabbed his hand in an attempt to keep him from going, “Don’t leave. Please.”

Lotor didn’t give her a reason this time but looked at her with a resigned expression on his face before gently tugging her hand out of her grasp.

“I’m sorry,” he said before walking away.

It seemed like he was getting further and further away.

“This isn’t goodbye!” she called out.

He didn’t answer. He never did.

Her eyes opened wide as she shot up. She paused for a moment, trying to catch her breath. And as always, tears fell from her eyes. It wasn’t fair. But what else was new? She stayed sitting for a few moments longer. The thoughts that he would return to her the next night was a small comfort.

He would always return to her.

Right?


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Non-explicit Sexy Time

Lotor let out a low groan as Allura sunk down on him and whimpered. Her hands were on his chest as she slowly began rocking back and forth. Needless to say, this wasn’t really a position they had tried before. Lotor liked being on top, where he could hold her close and see her every reaction. 

Although this was very quickly becoming his favorite, her rocking on his cock, soft moans escaping her lips, and her beautiful white tresses cascading down her breasts, stomach, and thighs like a waterfall. If he hadn’t built up his self control, just the sight alone would have him coming. 

His hands settled on her hips to help guide her and set rhythm. Her pace gradually increased and it occurred to him that he was reaching his climax without bringing her to her own. One hand left her hips and he guided it to her clit where he began rubbing it in a circular motion frantically. 

He wasn’t in the mood to be slow. But neither was she. 

“L-Lotor…” she whimpered out. And he growled, rubbing her as fast as he could. 

“Oh ancients I’m going to…” a groan from the back of his throat interrupted him mid sentence. 

Even in a haze of pleasure, she still managed to smirk. 

“Let go, Lotor…” 

Once more he growled. He didn’t know where he summoned the energy from but he sprang up, positioning them so that she was on his lap. He captured her lips in a hungry kiss and his hand continued rub her frantically. 

Both of their releases came within seconds of each other and their cries were muffled by their other’s mouth. They weren’t even kissing at that point. Both spent and Lotor fell back with Allura on top of him. 

Neither said anything for a few moments, he ran his fingers through her white locks as she traced circles into his chest. 

“You think we made it happen?” she finally asked. 

Lotor hummed, “It may take a few tries but we could have.” 

His hand gently rubbed her stomach and she smiled, “To think, soon our little one will be growing.” 

Lotor seemed to beam at the thought, “I await the day that he or she will be here with us…” 

“Soon…” Allura assured as she snaked up and pecked him on the lips. 

“Yes…soon…” 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

Allura couldn’t see the paladins anymore. In every direction there was a bright light and her family before her. There wasn’t even a pang of sadness. Just happiness, she could have an eternity of it now. 

Till she saw him. That happiness melted into guilt and she stopped. Everyone turned to her as if they could collectively hear her thoughts. 

Maybe it was her face. Or her eyes. Her eyes always showed what she couldn’t hide and there was no exception, it seemed even in death. A lifetime of mistakes flooded back to her, the worst of them was leaving Lotor in the rift without hearing his explanation first. It had taken a vision, a dream, and a longing to finally get the answers she should have sought from him. Her first love. Her only love, she shamefully admitted, despite her words just moments before her life ended. She could only look to the ground.

She could see the distant shadows and noticed her father’s stepping forward only to be stopped by another. She could hear some words being exchanged but she wasn’t close enough to quite make the words out. 

A familiar shadow stepped towards her and she felt a soft, gloved hand on her chin, tilting it up to look. Lotor, smiling ever so gently, the smile that he only ever had for her. 

A dam broke and tears were leaking out of her eyes like a faucet. 

“Lotor…” she mumbled, moving to gently swat his hand away. She didn’t deserve this kind of thing from him. Not after… 

He seemed to read her mind as he gently pinned her hand to her side.

“Come, take your place here, with us…” he spoke gently, his hand moving to intertwine his fingers with her own. 

It was too much. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, quietly. 

He didn’t seem fazed in the least, “Guiding you, my love…” 

My love. 

Even in life, he had never once called her that. And somehow it made her heart soar and drop all at once. 

“Why?” she sniffled. “After all that I’ve said to you? After leaving you the way I did…” 

“You have been hurt as well. It was no small thing. Come, we have an eternity to work this out…together,” he whispered, his face closer. 

She didn’t have any words but she dared to meet his eyes then. There was no bitterness. No rage. He had found the peace that he had been lacking when he still lived. She couldn’t wrap her brain around it quite yet. Even so, she took his other hand. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you…” he assured. 

And she allowed him to lead her…


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Are you trying to seduce me?” (Lotor seducing Allura)

It was nice to have peace. For the first time since she had been a girl, she could feel it everywhere. There were no threats. They would all have peace. She would have peace. She cared very little as to how selfish that sounded, she felt like she had earned it. 

Ceti was a quiet world, a peaceful world. A world that the Empire had never touched and she was happy for it. Despite the warm and humid night, the sound of the mountain streams were so relaxing. It was not Altea but it reminded her of her home. The natives had been gracious to allow a gathering here. The festivities would stretch on for quintants more but Allura had had her fill for the night. Well, almost. 

The entire time in ballroom, she had felt a familiar pair of eyes on her. She had reluctantly accepted dances from all the ministers, dignitaries, kings, and even queens who had asked for them. But there had been only one she had wanted to dance the night away with, it seemed that he was being pulled in every direction as well. She could only sigh. 

She leaned over her balcony and her eyes looked up to see the stars. She didn’t recognize the constellations and found that she did not care. There was a certain beauty in the unknown and discovering new things. She wondered if she would spot a shooting star. She didn’t count on it but here’s to hoping, right? 

She had become so lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t sense or hear the presence behind her. Only when she felt strong arms wrap around and squeeze her, was she brought out of her dreaming. 

“Having fun?” Lotor asked, burying his face into her hair and inhaling. 

She smiled, “I am. It’s been such a long time…” 

He hummed, “Indeed, it’s been far too long…” 

She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch as she felt his hands begin to wonder. His lips were on her ear, trailing kisses down the shell of her ear, her cheek, her jaw, and finally her neck. 

“Oh my, Your Majesty,” she teased. “Are you trying to seduce me?” 

She felt his smirk against her neck, “It seems to be working.” 

She giggled, “You never had to work that hard for it, in all fairness. But someone could see us.” 

He made a noise before placing a gentle kiss against her pulse, “I’m afraid I’m becoming a little impatient. I want the universe to know. I’ve done my waiting. My pining.” 

Allura sighed and placed her hands on top of his, “I know, my love. A few more quintants is all there’s left.” 

A few moments elapsed in silence with her leaning against him and him nuzzling into her neck, getting the full impact of her scent. And then they stopped to stare up at the sky for a moment when something quickly flew across it. 

“Did you see that? Did you?” she squealed. They were a rarity even on Altea and it still never ceased to amaze her. 

“I did,” he answered, his chin resting on her shoulder. 

“Did you…make a wish?” she asked. 

He didn’t respond and instead she found herself spun around with his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pressed right up against him. 

Her cheeks were hot and the intensity of his gaze would’ve made her shy away had he not been holding her firmly in place, but she still wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“I really don’t need to,” he chuckled. He didn’t really give her time to respond before capturing her lips. She melted right into it, kissing back in just the way he liked it and she didn’t think it possible but he pressed himself against her as close as he physically could. 

“Wait,” she breathed against his lips. “People might really see…” 

He was about to wave it off, she could tell. But she wasn’t finished. 

“Let’s take it inside, shall we?” she smirked against his lips. 

There was a helpless noise that escaped his lips before he bent down and wrapped his arms around her thighs, picking her up and carrying her off. 

Their lips never once disconnecting the whole time…


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “We were just pretending to be lovers, but I’m not pretending anymore.. I need to know if you feel the same way.”

There were way too many things that were left unsaid between them. Allura had rushed into the rift despite the paladins screaming at her not to. She was still a princess, damn it. Leaving Lotor in the rift would have been more disastrous than not. 

And the answers they were seeking came after he had been stabilized. Unfortunately, word of their fight had been spread. Lotor could hardly look at her after that and she found that she couldn’t even beg for forgiveness. He had apologized, though, for keeping the truth from her. That was all. He returned to being as cool and distant as he’d been when they’d first met. 

It gnawed at her heart but she couldn’t exactly blame him. She replayed her own words and cursed herself day and night for them. 

Next came damage control and Lotor seemed to be skilled at that. Not only did he say that it was a simple misunderstanding, but he had brought her into it by saying that he and the princess had put aside their differences and were formally betrothed. 

_Betrothed_. 

The word would have made her heart soar before the “misunderstanding” but not they just felt like a slap. And publicly, she had to keep that charade up. They would only appear close in public. They would hook arms, hold hands, and once or twice share a kiss. The kisses were heart wrenching because to her, it was real. None of this was a lie to her. It broke her heart that this was all an act to him, to keep the peace, but she took what she could get. She embraced his warmth whenever she could. She even pretended that it was real to him. 

Sometimes, it genuinely felt that way. She didn’t dare hope for it, but she could pretend. 

She could have looked happier during the wedding preparations, Coran and Dayak were fussing over the details. Their ideas clashed heavily and Allura found that she had to play peacekeeper between them as well. 

The night before the wedding was the worst. She lounged back in her chair, in nothing but a slip and robe. It wasn’t very princess-like of her to be slouched like this but she found her strength and brave face abandon her on this night. 

Tomorrow she would swear herself to the only man she ever loved and dreamed about. She should be happy. If only it were that simple. He addressed her only formally. He recoiled whenever she was within 10 feet of him. He couldn’t even meet her eyes anymore. His trust was shattered along with his heart. That’s what she had done. 

She heard a soft knock at her door and quickly wiped her tears. 

“Come in!” she chimed, flinching at how broken it had come out. She expected Lance to walk in, begging her not to go through with it. She expected Shiro, with words of comfort and encouragement. She expected Coran, to give her a father’s blessing. She was even expecting Keith, wishing her all of the happiness. 

She didn’t expect Lotor. He wasn’t even the last person to be expected, she could’ve thought anyone before him. 

His face did not betray his thoughts as he walked in. Allura stood up, knowing that there was no way to make her look presentable in this state. He eyed her from head to toe. 

“You have been crying,” he commented softly, a hint of something in his tone. Allura didn’t think about it. 

She wiped whatever tears she had left, “I’m sorry, it’s just I was thinking about…” 

“I know what you were thinking about, princess, you don’t have to come up with some bogus lie…” he cut her off softly. It was blunt. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. 

Lotor shook his head, “Don’t be. In fact, I should be the one to apologize. For all of this. This is not how I ever intended for this to go…” 

She was about to stop him when one word caught her completely off guard. 

_Intended_. 

“What…what do you mean?” she whispered, not caring how desperate that sounded. 

He looked away for a moment. The tension between them was thicker than it had ever been and the suspense was killing her. What he said next would probably determine if she had the courage to go through with the ceremony tomorrow. She prayed silently to the ancients in that moment as well. 

“Since the rift, we were just pretending to be lovers, but I’m not pretending anymore. I…I need to know if you feel the same way. That’s why I’m here,” he finally said, looking into her eyes for the first time since their first kiss. 

The words echoed but she had such a hard time making sense of them. If he hadn’t been pretending, did that mean…? 

“Not…pretending…” the words came out all broken. 

Lotor never once took his eyes off of hers and for the first time, she could see tears gathering in them. 

“I meant it when I said that we were meant to be together. After we went into the quintessence field together, I had planned to ask you. I want to be with you, but not if you feel like you’re forced to be with me too. Trust has been damaged, love has been shaken, but I want to know if you can see us healing this together…” 

And then he waited. There was not a trace of deception in his eyes, just anxiety. The same anxiety she was feeling. And her heart seemed soar as tears fell from her eyes. 

He loved her. 

She loved him. 

“I do,” she whispered. And with two simple words, the anxiety and fear seemed to melt into a new emotion: hope.

She held out her arms. There was a momentary fear that he wouldn’t come near, that he would shy away. 

To her joy, he ran into her arms, picked her up, and spun her around. She was crying now. But with joy. A feeling she hadn’t felt in so long. When their lips met, there was peace. There was no more doubt. 

They would work through their hurts, their aches, and their trust issues slowly. For now, however, they would just enjoy the warmth that only they could give each other.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “After everything… I’d still choose you.”

Their relationship was virtually non-existent. Their personal relationship anyway. Due to one misunderstanding and hurt feelings, their budding romance had been stopped before it could bloom into something beautiful. 

She got her answers, the confirmations came, apologies were said, and that was that. Lotor made no attempt to reach out and neither did she. There were still some hurt feelings as to the keeping of her own people from her, but there was also a lot of shame. For not keeping her composure, for throwing him across the room, for not waiting to hear his explanations for all of this. It was just cold and cordial between them now. 

She had needed some time to think and the Blue Lion was way too conspicuous. A small pod had to do. And her thoughts were running rapidly so she did not even pay attention when something blasted her ship. 

It was a chase and she found herself stranded on some swamp world. Whoever it was, they probably thought she was dead as she all but crash landed. The planet was uninhabited from the looks of it but she could’ve just landed in a region of the planet. Whatever it was, her pod was out of commission and for the time being she was stranded. She supposed she should’ve been a little more desperate and panicked, but it was just numbness. She sighed when she hopped out of the pod. 

She didn’t know how long she had been walking, she wasn’t familiar with how time worked here. Similarly, the cloud cover was thick and the light didn’t seem to change any. Once more, her thoughts went back to Lotor. And the moment his face flashed in her mind, she felt something. A dull, prodding sensation in her chest that made it difficult to breath sometimes. Was this a broken heart? Did she have a right to feel that considering that it was partially her fault as well? She could barely register the tear that was falling. 

She trudged on and was about to wade through yet another swamp when she felt something grab her arm and pull her away. She was about to scream but a large hand covered her mouth before she could even have a chance. 

“Don’t make a sound, you’re being tracked,” Lotor warned in her ear. One hand was over her mouth and another was wrapped around her waist. A few minutes passed like this. 

“Come, quietly. I’ll be right behind you,” he said and she chose to do as he said. As she went in the direction he was pointing to, a million questions ran through her mind. What was he doing here? Why was he here? How did he find her? Why did he even bother? What was he thinking? It didn’t help because he was making them zigzag in every direction. What exactly was he doing? 

The questions came to a halt when she saw a small cruiser in the center of a small clearing. She looked back and him and he motioned for her to continue onward. They went on in silence until they were safely inside. However, he was still waiting. 

“What are you doing?” she asked. 

“Getting him off our trail. You have a scent, princess,” he explained. His eyes were trained on the outside. 

Ah, yes. The Galran sense of smell. How could she have forgotten? It didn’t really answer her question though. 

“No, I mean what are you doing out here?” she asked, her throat was tightened and she hated how weak it sounded. 

Lotor sighed at that. 

“I came to find you, what else?” 

Allura could only growl in frustration, “No, why are you here? Why did you come after me? I thought after everything you wouldn’t care what became of me!” 

Lotor’s eyes narrowed at this and he turned to face her, “Is that what you think? That I don’t care what became of you? That I would leave you to rot on some void forsaken world simply because of what happened?” 

“Aren’t you?” she asked. 

“Of course not.” 

“Why?!” 

Lotor sighed in frustration and ran his fingers through his hair, “Because after everything, I still care for you. Because after everything, I still want to fix this. Because after everything, I still want to be with you. _Most of all, there could be a million other women out there who could offer me something similar yet after everything, I’d still choose you!_ And if you’d like to know why, it is simply for the reason that my heart cannot and will not accept another. Do you think I would tell you that we were meant to be together on a whim? No, I don’t say things unless I truly believe it.” 

Allura just stared at him. She opened her mouth to say something but didn’t. The words hit her full force and she leaned back in her seat, allowing herself to feel the weight of them. 

He sighed again, “My feelings for you are as they always were. I am still hurt, yes. But I would never leave you to die. I’ll die first.” 

She inhaled and squeezed her eyes shut, she could feel something alright. Happiness, relief, the overwhelming need to vomit… 

But she looked at his hand and then at him. There was a bit of anxiousness coming from him as well. 

“May I?” she whispered, moving her hand near his. 

“You may,” he answered, opening his hand and waiting for her to take it. She did and intertwined both of their fingers. She could feel a light squeeze coming from him. 

“Shall we get going then?” he asked. 

She nodded and he slowly maneuvered the cruiser off of the ground.

As they flew off from the planet, their hands stayed joined…


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Are you trying to seduce me?” (Allura seducing Lotor)

Lotor had done this about a million and one times. He knew all the tricks to getting the guards to abandon their posts for a few minutes while he scaled up her balcony. He didn’t do this every night. He couldn’t tempt fate like that. A few times a movement however… 

It was a hot summer on Altea and the nights were balmy. He reached the top and sniffed himself, making sure that he didn’t smell of sweat or the outside. He looked up and he forgot how to breathe for an entire tick. 

There on the bed, lying on her stomach, completely in the nude was Allura. She didn’t seem to be particularly bothered or self-conscious about this fact. She seemed preoccupied with popping berries in her mouth and reading whatever it was on the tablet. Her hair was completely loose. He just stopped and stared. 

“I…” he strained. “Look at you…” 

Allura didn’t look up but he could see the corners of her mouth turn upward in a smirk. 

“Hmm, oh this? It’s particularly hot tonight…” 

She took another berry and popped it in her mouth before sucking some of the juice off of her fingers. The smirk did not vanish. And his mouth ran dry. 

“Are…are you trying to_ seduce me_?” he asked, inwardly cringing at how strained his voice sounded to him. 

She looked at him then, a look of feigned innocence on her face, “Me? Whatever do you mean?” 

‘_Ah, so that’s how she wants to play_…’ 

He didn’t think it was possible for his feet to carry him so fast. Allura barely looked up before he gently grabbed her face and pulled her up into a burning kiss. She didn’t seem to hesitate and she kissed back in just the way he liked, her tongue sliding over his. He groaned against her lips as his hands slid down her body to grip her hips, pulling her against him. 

“_Void, I have to touch you_,” he purred against her lips and he felt her lips form a smile. 

“And what exactly is stopping you?” she mumbled against his lips, her fingers delicately combing through his hair. 

He growled against her mouth as his hands traveled behind her thighs to lift her up. Their lips stayed melded together as he carried her before breaking apart to lay her gently on the pillows. She looked up at him as he hovered over, admiring the sight beneath him. That lasted only a minute before he leaned down to capture her lips once again. 

His lips then trailed down her jaw to her neck before he nuzzled, drinking in her scent. The whole time, small gasps and whimpers were coming from her lovely lips. 

“Lotor…_please…_” she pleaded breathlessly. 

He smirked against her neck, “As my princess wishes…” 

And his lips continued to trail downward…


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: my destiny is in your hands

Everything was gone. Everyone was gone. She had been all that was left. Oriande, her father’s legacy, the paladins…gone. 

He had taken it all. In just a few seconds. Well, no, that was not quite accurate. He had been controlled by his mother, who had fished him out of the rift before overexposure could finish him off. 

Now here she was, in a prison cell, with the man she once loved standing before her. Another lie, because she knew that she still did. She had buried it deep and would continue to do so. Nothing could fix this.

He was as beautiful as ever, except a deep scar that ran diagonally from his right cheek, down his lips, and to his chin. And now he was proposing this… 

“You expect me to agree to marry you after all this?” she growled. “After all that you’ve done?” 

Lotor hummed, “Considering what you did to me, one would think I’ve gone mad, princess.” 

Her scowl deepened, “You made your choice!” 

He looked down at her with a hard glare, “What choice was that, princess? The decision to save our people? The fact that I had to resort to methods that even I found distasteful for the greater good? Or perhaps to keep it from you?” 

Allura could feel tears but refused to release them, “Is that what you call it!? You said you had feelings for me and yet you hid something so huge from me!” 

He didn’t even flinch, “The witch was constantly watching me and also I was right in my assessment. You and your paladins were rash and left me to rot based on the words on one person. Would it have been any better if I had told you myself?” 

She stared hard at the wall behind him because truthfully that was not a question she could answer. She thought she had lost her people, every bit of her home, all the while he had hidden them all away from her. A hurt that she would always carry, but she would have rather heard it from him. She had made mistakes but that didn’t excuse his. 

“You chose not to say anything. You knew what it would have meant to me. And you still didn’t didn’t say a word. Even so, I wanted to pull you out of there. I did. I just…none of the others wanted to,” she didn’t know why she was telling him this. 

He remained unsympathetic, “Yes, because it’s the thought that counts…” 

“You say the witch was watching you and yet here you are. Siding with her, even after all that she’s done. To both of us…” she pressed on. 

He seemed humored by it, “Siding with her? Am I really though?” 

Allura shifted her eyes to his face, almost flinching. His eyes were hardened, not as they once looked at her. Though, there was a hint of something else in them. Something…soft… 

“What are you planning, Lotor?” she asked, her eyes narrowing. 

“I would focus on surviving and staying alive if I were you,” was the simple response. 

She could have laughed, “You expect me to marry you without knowing your plans?” 

He only sighed at this, “The witch hasn’t exterminated the rest of your allies is because of me. Because she believes that she has her son back. Why else do you think she was stopped doing anything for the time being? I can only protect your allies, though, if you agree. ” 

Her eyes began to widen as the realization washed over her. She still wasn’t clear on his plans but she could piece it together. 

“Your options are complete destruction or marriage to me. Through marriage, perhaps we can clean up what your paladins have messed up and the universe can have its peace again…” 

Options he said. There was no option. Either she agree or everything was doomed. It stung. It stung because she loved the man in front of her. It stung because it could never be the way it once was between them. Their destinies as well as reality rested solely in her hands. 

“…Very well…” she said, after a very long pause. 

He didn’t smile, frown, or anything. He nodded and made his way towards the door. 

“The sooner the better. You will be moved out of this cell. I will take care of the preparations…” 

She didn’t say anything and she felt her tears run down her cheek when the door finally closed…


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: coquetry

Lotor didn’t realize that he had been holding his breath until Dayak hissed at him to stand up straight and quit acting so nervous. 

“You’re the heir to a mighty empire, never forget that!” she reminded and Lotor cold only sigh. How could he forget, with Dayak reminding him every day as he dodged her whacks. 

“I don’t do balls, you know that,” he mumbled. 

“Well if you are to be Emperor, you must hold formal events such as this. And-” she was cut off when the doors open. 

If Lotor had been holding his breath in, all the air effectively rushed out of his lungs when the open door revealed Allura in all her radiance. In a ball gown that was purple at the bodice and faded to a pale pink further down the length. It was truly a dress worthy of such a beauty. 

Lotor held back tears if only to keep Dayak from giving him an earful later. 

Allura’s eyes searched across the ballroom. She was looking for him. He cut across the ballroom, careful not to shove. He could only see her though. And it wasn’t long before her eyes found his. 

It was as if the whole place had dimmed, everyone disappeared. She was making her way down the stairs to get to him and he was making his way across the floor to get to her. The universe melted away. It was just her. No one else. 

On her part, she regarded everyone else politely. But her eyes never strayed from his for too long. 

There was a relief when they made it to each other. He so desperately wanted to take her in his arms and whisk her away to somewhere private. She so desperately wanted him to. But they couldn’t. Not not, anyway. Later. 

“My princess,” he whispered reverently as he took her hand and gently kissed her fingers. 

“My prince…” she said just as tenderly. 

“Would you honor me with a dance?” he asked, holding out his hand. 

She didn’t hesitate in taking it. Everyone cleared the floor as he lead her to the center of the dancefloor. A sweet and familiar tune started to play. It was their song. 

Lotor couldn’t say he was the best dancer, but for her, he had always made the effort. He took her in his arms and honestly, she had never looked more happy to be somewhere. 

She truly was the most precious and beautiful thing he’d ever held. 

The lights dimmed. The windows were open and the starlight streamed in. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her though. He really could have cried from how beautiful she looked with the stars reflecting from her eyes. 

“You are a vision, my Lu, nothing could ever match your beauty,” he whispered in her ear. 

She sighed happily, “I wish you could see what I see. You’d know true beauty only then.” 

He blushed and he didn’t care if anyone saw. 

“I much prefer this view, my beauty. The stars are put to shame before you,” he gently responded. One hand intertwined their fingers and the other arm held her tightly around her waist. 

A soft giggle. 

“And that,” he continued, “Is lovelier than any song I could ever hear.” 

His own blush was met with her own, “You flatter me, my butterfly.” 

Lotor hummed, “Is it flattery if it’s merely the truth, my juniberry? Is it flattery when I wish for nothing but your smile and laughter for eternity?” 

She moved closer, propriety be damned. 

“I laugh because I am the luckiest girl in the universe. To be here with you, there is no greater joy.” 

She leaned in until their mouths were merely centimeters apart. 

“_Lu…_” he breathed. He said it like a prayer, before cupping her cheek. When their lips touched, nothing else mattered. 

He wished to stay like that forever. With her, among the starlight. There could be no greater blessing…


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: I mourn your absence

He was everywhere, no matter where she looked. Even when she closed her eyes, he would be there to greet her in her dreams. When she went out flying to clear her head, there he was, whispering in her ear. 

He would torment her so and she had no idea why. Yes she did, but she dare not say it. The guilt and hurt racked her body. She hadn’t been the same since they left him behind in the rift. She never would be. Any happiness she had been granted was rotting away in the space between realities. 

She had no one to blame but herself. 

“Allura…” she could hear when she stepped out of the shower. 

Both of her hands slammed down on both sides of the sink. The mirror was fogged up but she didn’t have to look to know that he was there. 

“Must you do that? I just require a little peace,” she half-pleaded, half growled. 

Lotor hummed, “I’m here because you want me to be here. Void knows why. You left me to rot. But you mourn me still. Your lack of peace is your own doing, I’m afraid.” 

His voice was calm, with a hint of reproach and sadness. She could not bear it. 

“Lotor, don’t…” her cheeks were hot and the tears were hotter. 

“Don’t what, my dear?” he asked, ever so calm. 

“Don’t do that. Don’t keep walking into my life like this. Let me live…” 

“Why? You didn’t extend that courtesy to me. Not that it needed to be, but would you weep if you knew what became of me?” he asked. 

“I know what became of you. You’re dead. And all that’s left for me are…” she didn’t dare to finish. Because she knew she would not think of how it ended. Instead she would think of the beautiful moments they had created in their short, but sweet time together. It hurt worse. 

“Why?” she whispered. “Why did you leave me no choice…?” 

“I’ll answer the first one with a question: Am I truly dead, Allura? Am I? And don’t give me that. We all have choices. There was a choice Allura and you took to the one that shattered your own heart as well as mine…” 

Her eyes snapped open as she turned to see him. There he was leaning against the wall. She was horrified at what she saw. It wasn’t the usual prince with glowing purple eyes. No, he looked…like he was rotting. But his face was the same, minus a few scars. 

“Lotor…are you alive?” 

He didn’t answer, he continued to look her way. 

The tears were burning her eyes but she didn’t care. 

“Answer me!” she demanded. 

“What do you think? Am I alive or dead? Is this guilt or do you truly mourn me? Even now you lie to yourself about why I keep appearing to you or why you keep feeling these things. You know why…” he answered. 

“Quit talking in riddles and just tell me the truth!” she begged. 

She sounded so desperate. She wouldn’t dare admit it to herself. She couldn’t. 

“Now you want the truth?” he asked. “Then come find me…” 

He disappeared. Vanished. Completely without a trace. As if he’d never been there. 

All she could do was sink to her knees, tears trickling. What had just happened? What……….

And finally when the dam broke, she could admit the truth that she had locked away inside of her heart in anger and despair. 

She loved him. She would always love him. Nothing in the universe would ever and could ever change that fact…


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “Is there a reason you’re naked in my bed?”

It was a long day. A really long day. To keep an Empire that spanned ⅔ of the entire known universe from collapsing onto itself was no small feat. Not to mention small rebellions thanks to Sendak were popping up here and there. 

Just a little while longer and he could put his plan into motion. He was so close. The taste of his lifelong dream was practically on his tongue. 

That and one Altean princess. It wasn’t a conscious thing that he found himself smiling at the image of her smiling face and sparkling eyes. He never expected to feel so light. And loved. It was a new feeling that he would do anything to cling to. 

Once he achieved his goal, nothing would stand in the way of him and his princess. Just a little while longer… 

He began typing the password to his door when a sweet but familiar scent hit his nostrils, giving him pause for a moment. 

_No…wait…could it be? _

He typed in the rest of the passcode with a speed he didn’t know that he was capable of. 

His jaw all but dropped to the ground when he saw the sight that greeted him. 

There, in all her nude glory, lay Allura. She was on her stomach, her lips stretched into a smile when she saw him standing in front of her, her arm stretched out, beckoning him. 

“Allura…” his voice was hoarse. He could barely form a coherent thought, let alone form coherent words at the sight of her bottom. 

“Well, hello there Emperor,” she said in a sultry voice. He swallowed thickly. 

“Is there…a reason you’re naked in my bed?” he asked, fumbling over the words. Of course he knew the reason. What a stupid question.

“Hmm,” she put a finger to her lips. “Yes that is a mystery. Why would I be in the bed of possibly the most handsome man in the universe?” 

His cheeks were heating up, he could feel it. Handsome…he’d never been described at that. By Galra standards he was…odd looking. No one ever said “ugly” but he could hear it. But Allura really thought that he was…handsome. Oh ancients was this not helping… 

And now blood was rushing somewhere else. 

“Are you just going to stand there?” she teased, calling him to her once more. 

“Be careful, Princess. I won’t be gentle if you keep teasing me like this…” 

Her lips only stretched into a bigger smile, “Who said I wanted you to be gentle?” 

He growled. He didn’t think he just let his feet carry him. He grabbed her by the chin and lifted her up to meet his lips. He wasn’t gentle and neither was the kiss. It was hungry. It was possessive. The small whimper from her only excited him more. 

“Someone’s eager,” she mumbled against his lips. 

With another growl, he pushed her back till she fell upon the pillows. He hovered above her and drank in the sight before him. Her eyes were hooded in desire, her lips were parted. The perfect beauty was under him, writhing in desire for him. 

Nothing could be more perfect. 

“No more talking…” he said, leaning in to hungrily capture her lips once more…


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “You fainted…straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”

Lotor felt so ashamed as he clutched her hand. He was sitting at her bedside, keeping vigil. He should’ve noticed how ghostly pale and warm she was. He felt like a failure as a husband and now here Allura was, unconscious. 

“I’m sorry, my love,” he whispered through tears, bringing her hand to his lips to kiss it. 

A fever, they said. He should’ve known. He hadn’t been paying attention to her and this was the price to pay for it. She’d walked up to him as he had made his speech. She looked worn, but she joined him all the same. He’d only finished when he felt her sway a bit before collapsing into his arms. 

He’d only eaten when Dayak had all but shoved a spoon in his mouth. Kova had come alone and nuzzled Allura. It seemed only Kova could understand his distress, as he always could. 

He’d probably dozed off because he felt a gentle touch against the back of his hand and he opened his eyes. The lights in the room were too bright. But he ignored his stinging eyes in favor of the weak, gentle smile of the now awake woman before him. 

“Allura,” he mumbled, moving his hand to gently touch her face. She still had a fever but it was a little better. 

“Hello, you,” she answered sweetly. 

“How are you feeling?” he asked, gently caressing her cheek. It came out as a coo. 

“A little ill, but I’ll be fine. My poor Emperor, you haven’t slept have you?” she reached now to cradle his cheek in her palm. 

It made his heart hurt. She was ill, very much so, and she was thinking of him. He didn’t feel that he deserved it. 

“You fainted…straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn’t have to go to such extremes,” he replied, grabbing the hand on his cheek to lean in and kiss her palm. 

Allura pouted, “I am your Empress. I should be there when you address your empire. I’m sorry…” 

He shook his head, “I could’ve lost you. I don’t know what I would do if I had. I should be apologizing…” 

Allura frowned, “It’s a fever, my love. It’ll pass. I’ll be fine.” 

But Lotor continued, “I spent my whole life not knowing love or gentleness. You came into it and changed everything. You loved me, you guided me, you stood with me even through the darkest days. You are my strength, the reason I can do everything. _You are everything_.” 

It was so unlike Lotor to be emotional, to talk so openly about his own. Even now, words of love did not come so easily to him. But Allura understood. Lotor was a man who proved himself with his actions. He’d shown her his love every day since they’d been married. 

“Lotor…” she tried to say. 

He was in tears, continuing to press light kisses into her palm. 

“I will be more attentive. I will be the husband you deserve,” he swore. 

Allura smiled, “But you are. You are the best husband anyone could ask for. Do not blame yourself, I’ll be fine. You’re doing wonderfully. I couldn’t ask for better.” 

The words didn’t do much to soothe. But she said it with such sincerity that he had to believe that she meant it. 

He said nothing more, just continued to caress her cheek and kiss her palm…

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are much appreciated! If you'd like to request something, send me a little something on Tumblr! Thanks for reading! 
> 
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